Cary Mellon
UBCO Heat Media
Mackenzie Horst of the Vernon Panthers will join the UBC Okanagan Heat women’s basketball program next season.
A 6-foot-1 post player,Horst brings an extensive high school career athletic resume. Horst has spent two years with the Junior Heat Program, on top of three years with Basketball BC.
She earned a silver medal at the 2014 B.C. Summer Games, and finished eighth on the national stage at the 2017 Canada Summer Games as part of Basketball BC’s U17 squad.
With her high school teams, Mackenzie has been on the podium three years in a row at the provincial tournament. In her Grade 9 year, she was a provincial champion and a First Team All-Star with Immaculata Regional High School.
In Grade 10, Horst was voted the MVP of the bronze-medal game, which her Immaculata Mustangs won. Last season, she was named the Top Grade 11 Female Athlete at VSS, and was a Second Team All-Star as the Panthers pocketed a provincial silver medal under coach Lonny Mazurak.
At UBC Okanagan, Horst plans to go into nursing, a program which she states as being a primary reason for her choosing the Kelowna campus, saying, “the nursing program is highly respected and is known for its advanced studies.”
Horst also credits the outstanding Heat basketball program and the campus’ closeness to home for her with making the decision easier.
“I am so fortunate to be able to study my degree and play the sport I love in such an incredibly environment,” she said. “I’m ready to contribute my all to this team and I can’t wait to play with the women in the fall of 2018.”
With Horst playing in Vernon and apart of the Junior Heat program, UBCO head coach Claire Meadows had plenty of opportunity to scout the Vernon forward and sees plenty to like with Horst.
“I’ve had the pleasure of watching ‘Mac’ develop over the last few years into one of the top forwards in the province,” said Meadows. “She will add some needed size to our roster and will have an immediate presence at both ends of the court. Mac is naturally talented but I think it’s important to note the immense amount of work that she has put into her development. She is always in the gym working to get better and what I love most about her is that she always has a smile on her face. Her positive energy is contagious and she is going to be a great addition to our program.”
Horst and Champlain Regional College graduate Emma Huff of Quebec are the two recruits signed for next fall to this point. Horst will join a growing list of players from Vernon that have played Junior Heat and moved on to the varsity squad in the past few years, including Jordan Korol, Jordyn Cullum, and Brianna Falk.
RELATED: